


baby we can stop the rain

by bobaisbest



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Getting Together, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, they adopt a cat ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:35:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27892417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobaisbest/pseuds/bobaisbest
Summary: “Yes, that is a cat,” Doyoung clarifies, his heart sinking. “Or a kitten. Whichever you prefer to call it.”“Oh,” Jaehyun says, eyes still fixated on her. “You know we don’t allow pets, right?”
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung
Comments: 35
Kudos: 292





	baby we can stop the rain

Doyoung wakes up to a kiss on his temple.

“Wuh…” he mutters, chasing the comfort that’s left him cold and empty on the white sheets. The  _ pitter patter  _ of the rain outside echoes quietly.

“Go back to sleep,” Jaehyun says, ruffling his hair. He laughs when Doyoung recoils at the touch.

“It’s so early,” Doyoung groans, shoving his face deep into the pillow. “Where are you going?”

The bed dips with Jaehyun’s weight, warmth creeping on Doyoung’s neck as Jaehyun leans over to whisper in his ear.

“I have to go see my mother. You know how she gets.”

Yes, Doyoung knows. She’s very grouchy, particularly at the beginning of the month when rent is due. And also very fond, almost  _ too _ fond, of her one and only son.

“Fine,” Doyoung says. “Are you coming back?”

Jaehyun’s blue raincoat rustles as he puts it on.

“Yes,” he replies. “Later in the morning. Maybe like, ten? I’ve already fed the cat. So don’t worry.”

Doyoung closes his eyes then, slowly drifting back asleep.

“Okay,” he mumbles. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” Jaehyun laughs.

Then he leaves, the door slamming behind him.

It’s silent for a moment. Doyoung jerks his eyes open.

Wait. What?

_ Love you? _

His eyes widen further when he realizes what Jaehyun had replied with.

_ Love you too. _

  
  
  


The cat is small. It might even be a kitten, sheltered inside a cardboard box that is soggy, the heavy rain encouraging its integrity to collapse. The cat, cowering inside, meows pitifully.

Doyoung sighs, gripping the handle of his umbrella tighter. It teeters on one side, because one of the spindles broke last month. It doesn’t rain much around here. At least, it’s not supposed to. Doyoung hadn’t bothered to purchase a replacement. He regrets that now, feeling its weight sag as one of his shoulders gets more wet than the other.

How much money was in his account? He got paid today but rent is due Sunday. The department wanted to go out for drinks tomorrow. That will be expensive, because the undergraduates will most likely be asking him to buy a round, but Doyoung cannot skip. He also has to eat at some point.

The cat meows again, more like a cry, and Doyoung sighs once more.  _ It’s cheap,  _ he thinks.  _ It should be cheap. _

He scoops up the cat, small enough to fit in his hand. Definitely a kitten. It nuzzles into his palm as he tucks it into his coat. He feels the vibration of a pur, wet fur snuggling into his sweater while clawing the threads for purchase. Doyoung thinks it’s good that he does not own expensive clothing.

“Okay,” he says, cradling the small life in his arms. “Let’s go home.”

Home is a third floor studio on the mediocre side of town. The stairs are creaky and Doyoung always has to kind of yank the front door open but the street here is safe. That’s more than what he can ask for, especially at this price.

After peeling off his own wet clothes, Doyoung attempts to towel the kitten dry. She sways with no resistance, eventually falling asleep on his hand while he fluffs the orange fur by her ears. He watches as her eyes slowly droop down and suddenly, Doyoung himself feels exhausted. It’s like his body has finally realized what a terribly long day he’s had. He tosses the towel into the basket and gets ready for bed.

The kitten falls asleep quickly, even after being moved. Her ears twitch as she burrows into Doyoung’s makeshift nest of blankets, unconscious to the world as he places a dish of water next to her on the floor.

_ Tomorrow,  _ he thinks.  _ Tomorrow, I will buy food and litter. I will finish grading the midterm papers. I will go out for drinks. I will pay rent on Sunday. _

The rain outside prattles on, pounding against the roof as the night wears away. Slowly, Doyoung drifts asleep too, his mind running from the subconscious to the unconscious.

_ Tomorrow. Food and litter. Papers, drinks, rent. Papers, drinks, rent...  _

  
  
  


There’s a knock at his door in the early morning, though it’s not like Doyoung could really guess the time of day if he stuck his head outside the window. The sky is positively grey, storm clouds drawing close in a somber conglomeration. It will no doubt be raining soon, making Doyoung glad that he has no class today. But, oh— he does have work, doesn’t he? He always has work.

_ Knock! Knock! _

“Coming!” Doyoung acquiesces, reaching blindly for his glasses as his feet skimp across the cold floor. Confusion flies into his mind, clearing out the cobwebs of his hangover before a simple realization turns it into something more dreadful instead.

_ It’s Sunday. _

He yanks the door open, excuse at the ready on his tongue.

“Mrs. Jung, I’m so sorry, I don’t have the check prepared but I can write it right now if you’ll just give me two minutes—”

Doyoung stops himself then, staring into the handsome eyes of someone who is decidedly not Mrs. Jung.

“I’m sorry,” he says, backtracking for a moment. “Who are you?”

The man’s expression changes into something curious. Doyoung narrows his eyes.

The guy is young, can’t be older than twenty, and appears much too fresh for a gloomy weekend morning. His hair is fluffy and chestnut, flawless skin and charming smile tucked neatly into a cobalt blue rain jacket. In his right hand, he holds a black umbrella, one of those fancy ones with a substantial handle. Doyoung fleetingly wishes he himself had an umbrella that wouldn’t fly backwards everytime he tried to open it.

“I’m Jaehyun,” the boy introduces. “Jung Jaehyun. Mrs. Jung’s son. She’s unable to come today but as you can probably guess, I’m here about—”

“—the rent, yes,” Doyoung nods. “If you would just give me a quick moment—”

_ Meow! _

Doyoung looks down in horror, the kitten having nestled herself between his feet. She peeks out the door curiously, displaying the same bravado that prompted her to meow at Doyoung two nights before, pleading him to take her home. A survival instinct, he supposes. After all, it did convince him to bring her to a warm and safe shelter.

“Is that—?” Jaehyun says, as if he can’t believe his own eyes.

“Yes, that is a cat,” Doyoung clarifies, his heart sinking. “Or a kitten. Whichever you prefer to call it.”

“Oh,” Jaehyun says, eyes still fixated on her. “You know we don’t allow pets, right?”

“Yes, I know,” Doyoung frowns. “But I just found her on Friday and—”

_ Meow! Meow! _

The cat steps out of the apartment, taking quick steps before Doyoung can stop her. She settles at Jaehyun’s feet, rubbing against his clean and expensive-looking sneakers.

“Oh my,” Doyoung remarks, watching the routine with raised eyebrows. Jaehyun simply looks down, mouth slightly open.

_ Meow! _

She continues her tirade, wrapping herself around Jaehyun’s ankles, and Jaehyun continues to say nothing. From the grey sky above, a light drizzle begins to fall.

“Um,” Doyoung says, glancing up. “Would you like to talk about this inside?”

Jaehyun drags his gaze from the floor back to Doyoung. Their eyes meet, a smile flashing across Jaehyun’s beautiful face.

“Sure,” he agrees. “That’s a good idea.”

-

The window rattles with the wind outside, shaking violently as droplets of rain fly across the surface. Doyoung yanks the latch shut but cold air still seeps through the cracks.

“Sorry,” he sighs. “The weather has just been horrible lately.”

“Yes,” Jaehyun agrees, peeking over from where Doyoung has deposited him at the dining table. His fancy umbrella leans precariously against the edge of it. “Absolutely horrendous. It’s been raining non-stop. Is your window alright? Do we need to call in someone to fix it?”

Doyoung makes a noise of disagreement, shaking his head as he seats himself across from Jaehyun. His hands curl into fists on his lap. The last thing he needs is to draw even more attention. Jaehyun’s presence here is already a mistake.

“Please don’t bother,” he says. “I wouldn’t want to trouble your mother.”

Jaehyun leans back in his seat, a rickety old chair donated to Doyoung by a retiring professor (you couldn’t afford to be luxurious with the research lab’s meager pay). It creaks dangerously and Doyoung finds himself thinking that it would really be awful if the decrepit thing just crumbled apart while his landlord’s son was sitting on it.

Jaehyun just laughs, seemingly unbothered.

“You won’t be troubling her at all,” he assures. “My mother has asked me to help out with her side of the business. You’ll be dealing with me from now on instead.”

“I see,” Doyoung says, a small bit of hope emerging from his chest, clinging to an opportunity which would not be possible had he been facing the cold, hard stare of Mrs. Jung instead.

“So, the window?” Jaehyun asks. “I can get it fixed by tonight. Consider it a favor.”

Ah, this is his chance.

“A favor?” Doyoung echoes. “If you’re going to allow me a favor, I would rather spend it on something else.”

He points his head down, in the direction of the kitten. She’s perched by the blankets, a curious thing with wide eyes.

“Ah,” Jaehyun says, his eyes flickering in understanding. “Don’t worry. I won’t say a thing.”

Doyoung sighs, relieved. “That’s very nice of you—”

“On one condition.”

Doyoung tenses up again. “Yes?” he asks.

“I want visiting rights. She’s very cute and I would like to see her again.”

I would like to see  _ you _ again, Doyoung’s lizard brain involuntarily supplies.

“Yes, of course,” he says, the words blurting out before Jaehyun’s kindness can recede. “You can definitely come see her. My door is always open. I assume you have the keys, anyways. Come in whenever you’d like. I cannot guarantee that I will always be home.”

“You’re too generous,” Jaehyun smiles. 

_ No,  _ Doyoung thinks.  _ The generous one here is you. _

  
  
  


“This monsoon season is just awful, isn’t it?” Jaehyun says. “Do you think it’ll ever stop raining? I want to go outside. Maybe have a picnic. You like sandwiches, don’t you?”

Doyoung glances outside, watching the rain drone on as he tries to think of a nice way to tell Jaehyun that even if the weather were better, he would still prefer to spend his days inside.

“I like sandwiches,” he says. “Do you like the outdoors that much?”

Jaehyun scrunches his nose, which Doyoung takes as a positive sign.

“Not necessarily,” he replies. “But you’ve just got these awful blackout blinds. It’s always so dark. If I bought you a lamp, would you use it?”

“I have a lamp,” Doyoung snorts. “I just never turn it on. If you hate my place so much, then how come we never go to yours?”

“And leave Sunny all alone?” Jaehyun gasps, scandalized. “My mother has my spare keys. It’s been two years since I’ve moved out and she still enjoys barging in on me. Would you like her to barge in on you as well?”

Ah, Jaehyun’s mother. As devoted and affectionate as always. Doyoung supposes that all of Jaehyun’s fancy, expensive work suits come at a price.

“She also has keys to this place,” he mutters. “She could very well barge in here too.”

“Yes, but she would never impose on a tenant like that.”

Doyoung snorts again. “She would if she knew I was fucking her son.”

Jaehyun laughs at that, his cheeks dimpling in humor. He’s handsome and boyish, the kind of thing you only see on magazine covers. Doyoung thinks it’s unfair how some people are blessed the way they are. He thinks he’s lucky that at least, he can have this.

“Come on,” Jaehyun says, scooting back and making himself comfortable in Doyoung’s bed. “Didn’t you hear me earlier? I said I was tired.”

Doyoung quirks an eyebrow.

“Oh, you’re tired?” he says. “You want to take a nap?”

“Yes,” Jaehyun replies, his grin growing wide. “Something like that.”

“Fine,” Doyoung huffs. “I’m coming.”

  
  
  


After that first encounter with Jaehyun, Doyoung sort of forgets about the whole thing. Yes, he did say the guy could come by and see the cat anytime, but he didn’t really expect him to follow through. Their conversation had been short, maybe slightly flirty, but nothing more than that. At least, that’s what Doyoung thought— until he comes back from lab one day and there’s a car parked on the curb by the entrance of his building.

Not that it’s odd to see a parked car or anything…but this car is different. It’s blue, it’s clean, and it’s  _ expensive.  _ Doyoung doesn’t know much about cars but even he can tell the difference between average and lavish.

The vehicle certainly doesn’t belong to any of the tenants in this building. Everyone living here is a student, leaving early for class and returning late from shifts at the convenience store. Doyoung is no stranger to the sight of a lit-up window at three in the morning, the distressed silhouette of someone no doubt typing up the last of their coursework before it’s deadline. No, there is no one who lives here that could possibly drive a car like this.

There is, however, exactly one person that Doyoung can think of who  _ might  _ own this car. In fact, less than a week ago, he had extended an open invitation for such a person to come over any time they’d like. He regrets that decision now, wanting nothing more than to shower quickly and fall into bed for a nap. His intuition tells him that he won’t be able to do that anytime soon.

“You’re lucky I have a good memory,” Doyoung says, announcing it loudly as he enters his apartment. “Anything worse and I might’ve called the police on you for breaking and entering.”

Jaehyun looks up from where he’s sat on the ground, the kitten sitting between his criss-crossed legs.

“Technically, it’s not breaking and entering if I had my own key,” he grins. “And besides, if I do recall correctly, you gave your verbal agreement for letting me come by at any time.”

“Yes, I did,” Doyoung sighs, shucking his jacket off with a  _ swoosh.  _ Rain droplets fall to the ground, creating a wet spot by the front door. Doyoung will take care of that later, when he’s not two seconds away from passing out.

“Come sit,” Jaehyun says, patting the spot on the floor next to him. “Just for a moment. I’ll be out of your hair soon.”

“Sure,” Doyoung says, dubiously following his direction. This kind of feels like a waste of time but— ah, it’s his landlord’s son. He’ll humor him for a bit.

“She’s friendly,” Jaehyun says, holding out his hand for the kitten to muzzle into. “What’s her name?”

Doyoung blanks out for a moment, realizing that he never bothered to christen her with anything like a name. Between school and the lab and the classes he must teach, there just wasn’t any time. He simply forgot.

His silence speaks volumes, apparently. Jaehyun gasps, as if Doyoung has cursed them all with a terrible travesty.

“You haven’t named her yet!?”

“I haven’t had time,” Doyoung grumbles. “I’m busy, okay? I barely had enough time to buy her the right food.”

“Oh my god,” Jaehyun remarks. “It’s a good thing I’m here then, isn’t it?”

He reaches behind himself, which alarms Doyoung at first (there is a strange man sitting in his apartment after all, hotness be damned). He calms down when he sees that Jaehyun’s just pulled out a plastic container of strange looking pellets — cat treats, he realizes.  _ Chicken, beef, and salmon,  _ it says.  _ Great for growing kittens! _

“Oh, what would I do without you?” Doyoung snorts, watching Jaehyun unscrew the lid and pour out a couple into the floor. “Are you trying to co-parent? I don’t think taking care of a cat is so strenuous that I need you to pay child support.”

“I just like her,” Jaehyun says, smiling as the kitten sniffs the treats. “Nothing wrong with doting. And  _ you—”  _ he shoots Doyoung a look— “need to give her a name.”

“Fine,” Doyoung says, grumbling a bit. How hard can it be to name a cat? It should fit her personality, or something, right? She’s orange and loud and he found her in the midst of a torrential downpour. She should be called something short, something pleasant to hear, maybe something like… 

“Sunny,” he suggests. “How about Sunny?”

“Cute,” Jaehyun comments. “You like Girls’ Generation?”

“What?” Doyoung splutters. “It’s a common name. Has absolutely nothing to do with them.”

“So you  _ don’t _ like Girls’ Generation?” Jaehyun asks, one eyebrow quirked.

“I—” Doyoung says, drawing the word out painfully. “No, I like them. I like them a lot.”

“That’s what I thought,” Jaehyun says, his smile equal parts charming and annoying. “I heard you humming  _ Gee  _ in the hall yesterday when I came by to fix Mr. Choi’s bathroom light.”

Doyoung immediately blushes, cheeks flaming as he realizes he was being watched.

“You heard that?” he hisses. “Just spied on me and didn’t bother saying hi? Like a creep?”

“I was on my way out,” Jaehyun laughs. “And I was kind of late for work. I would’ve stopped to say hi if I had the time.”

“Work?” Doyoung blurts. “You’re not in school?”

Jaehyun fixes him a funny look.

“No, I graduated,” he says. “Three years ago, in fact.”

Doyoung gawks. “You’re twenty-five? I thought you were still in school.”

Then Jaehyun frowns, like children do when they want to be taken seriously.

“Yes, I’m twenty-five. I’m not in school. Are you in school?”

“Um, yes,” Doyoung replies. “Graduate school, technically. I’m a year older than you. You should call me  _ hyung.” _

_ “Hyung,”  _ Jaehyun says, turning the syllables in his mouth. “Doyoung  _ hyung.  _ You want me to call you that?”

He says it with relish, slowly and deliberately like he’s trying to prove a point. Doyoung takes one look at Jaehyun’s expression, his sparkly demeanor and mischievous smile, and decides that it might be too much.

“No,” he decides. “You’re letting me keep an illegal cat. I think we’re past formalities here. Just  _ Doyoung  _ is fine.”

Jaehyun’s eyes twinkle as he laughs.

“Sure,” he replies. “Whatever you say,  _ hyung.” _

  
  
  


Jaehyun picks him up from the lab these days, which wouldn’t be a problem if he learned to be a little more discreet. But no, he just stands there, exposed for everyone to see, in his blue rain jacket and fancy umbrella, held high above his head while he waits for Doyoung to come out.

“I told you to use the side door,” Doyoung hisses, rushing down the concrete steps to shelter himself inside Jaehyun’s huge umbrella. “My undergraduates are getting suspicious every time they see an attractive man standing out front.”

Jaehyun laughs, looking much too pleased at Doyoung’s frustration.

“They think I’m attractive?” he says, his eyes twinkling under the street lights. “I  _ am _ attractive. Don’t you want to show me off?”

_ “No,” _ Doyoung says. “I think I’ll die before letting any of the faculty know of my private life.”

It’s bad enough that Taeyong has become a regular at the department outings. Now Renjun and Donghyuck have taken to grilling Doyoung about his personal details, Renjun for his own morbid curiosity and Donghyuck purely for the sake of being a little shit. Doyoung doesn’t remember  _ mentoring goblin children _ being a bullet point on this lab’s job description, but he has to deal with them anyways. God, he must be getting old if he considers twenty-year-olds to be children. And to think that the first time he saw him, Doyoung thought Jaehyun was only twenty years old. How embarrassing.

“Do they know about Sunny?” Jaehyun asks, much too bubbly for this late hour of the night. “She’s your lock screen. Surely, they know about her?”

“Yes, they know about Sunny,” Doyoung replies, much more focused on getting to Jaehyun’s car. This umbrella is big, but not that big, and Doyoung can feel his left sleeve getting slightly damp.

“Then they should know about me,” Jaehyun states, like it’s a plain and obvious fact. “I want to meet them too. Taeyong and the lab interns and— what’s the other one you like?”

“Jeno,” Doyoung supplies. “I like Jeno.”

“Yes, him,” Jaehyun nods. “Are you free this Saturday?”

“Unlock the car doors, please.”

Jaehyun unlocks the car doors.

“Thanks.” Doyoung rushes inside, takes off his slightly wet coat, and tosses it into the back seat. Then he turns back to Jaehyun.

“What were you saying about this Saturday?”

“Are you free?” Jaehyun repeats, turning the key in ignition.

Doyoung thinks for a moment. He has nothing to do on Saturday.

“I could be free. Depends on why you’re asking.”

Jaehyun’s face splits into a salacious grin. “It’s Johnny’s birthday party. I want you to come with.”

“What?” Doyoung gawks. “You want  _ me  _ to come with?”

“Of course,” Jaehyun says, slowly backing out of the parking lot. “Johnny’s my best friend. I want you to meet him, and everyone else. You’ve already met Jungwoo, haven’t you? That wasn’t so bad.”

“I— yes, but,” Doyoung splutters. “Everyone already knows each other. Are you sure you want  _ me _ there?”

“Oh, come on,” Jaehyun says, brow crinkling as he brakes at a red light. “I just want my boyfriend to meet all my friends. That’s normal, right?”

“Yes,” Doyoung murmurs. “Boyfriend.”

“Yes,” Jaehyun laughs. “Boyfriend.”

Doyoung turns away to look out onto the street, biting his lip so hard it must be turning white. It hurts a bit, but he needs to stop himself from smiling too much. It would be absolutely embarrassing if Jaehyun saw how happy this made him.

“Fine,” he finally decides. “I’ll come. Should I bring a bottle of wine?”

“A handle of vodka might be more suitable for this crowd,” Jaehyun laughs. “You can bring a friend too, you know. It might even the playing field a little.”

“Hardly,” Doyoung snorts. “I’ll have one person, compared to an apartment full of your friends. How is that fair at all?”

“Exactly my point,” Jaehyun says. “Invite me out with the lab next time. I’ll gladly be outnumbered.”

“Maybe,” Doyoung mutters. “We can discuss that later.”

“By the way, am I staying over tonight?”

Doyoung nearly rolls his eyes. Why is that even a question?

“If you want,” he scoffs. “Do whatever.”

“Okay,” Jaehyun says, smiling so much that his dimples grow deep. “I guess I’m staying over then.”

  
  
  


Doyoung wouldn’t say that he’s terribly out of shape. He exercises when he can and the fact that the location of his apartment requires him to climb two flights of stairs everyday helps a bit too. So no, he would not consider himself to be out of shape. But sex with Jaehyun is just something else entirely.

“Again?” Doyoung asks, breathing heavy after Jaehyun wrings the first orgasm out of him. “I thought you said you were tired.”

“I said I was tired of work,” Jaehyun laughs, rolling right on top of Doyoung with a shove. “I never said I was too tired for sex.”

“Disgusting,” Doyoung tuts. “Men only want one thing.”

“Hey,” Jaehyun grins, nearly crushing Doyoung with his barbaric weight. “You’re the one that came onto me first.”

Doyoung blushes then, recalling the night clearly although he himself had only experienced it through the slight haze of alcohol.

“Only because I knew how badly you wanted it,” Doyoung replies. He flips them over, Jaehyun’s hips now trapped between his legs. “Or are you going to deny even that?”

Jaehyun’s face is unreadable, his eyes looking up at Doyoung with a certain something. They’re liquid dark, so much that Doyoung almost has to look away. He doesn’t though, staring back with what he hopes is a challenge.

“No,” Jaehyun finally says. “You’re right. I wanted it too. I’m glad you did that, because now we are here.”

“Now we are here,” Doyoung repeats, lips forming into a smile.

And then he allows Jaehyun to kiss him again, so pleasant and warm, unlike the freezing rain thrumming outside.

  
  
  


It had been a stormy night, like all the other nights this month. The bar was orange and yellow, brightly lit against the dark sky. Doyoung remembers the drinks, a beer and two cocktails, and he remembers the food, untouched between them as they spoke through the hour. But most of all, he remembers Jaehyun, warm and inviting as he offered to drive him home after the check had been signed.

Doyoung had stumbled on the stairs up to his apartment, a clumsy gesture which Jaehyun mistook for insobriety. Absolutely ridiculous, because Doyoung only had three drinks. But nonetheless, Jaehyun felt the need to hold Doyoung by the waist, helping him up the last of the steps. Suddenly, the warmth was just too much. Or rather, not enough.

“Is there overnight parking?” Doyoung had asked, his mind calculating all the ways he could take advantage of Jaehyun’s kindness. 

“Um, yes?” Jaehyun said, glancing down to where his car rested on the street. “It’s Sunday now, parking is free…”

Doyoung nearly laughed. 

Jaehyun looked clueless, but he should have known better. He should have known what was coming. After all, who invites someone out for drinks and delivers them back home without expecting something more? Jaehyun was either very sly or extremely stupid. But either way, Doyoung was not backing down.

He lightly pushed Jaehyun and Jaehyun ceded easily, his back hitting the door to Doyoung’s apartment. Doyoung took it as a sign, a chance to hook his hands around Jaehyun’s broad shoulders without being pushed away. Their faces were a breath apart, too narrow a space for any other interpretation.

“You should stay the night,” Doyoung said. They were even closer now.

Back then, he might’ve thought that it  _ was _ the drinks. Maybe that last beer was too much. After all, Doyoung has never preferred being so forward with his dates. There had to have been some sort of artificial courage swirling inside his body at the time.

But looking back, what really spurred him on was the look in Jaehyun’s eyes. Hooded slightly in the dark with a liquid intensity— Jaehyun  _ wanted _ him. And the prospect itself was what truly made Doyoung act a little drunk that night.

“Sure,” Jaehyun said, slightly quirking his lips in that devastating, boyish smile of his. “I can do that.”

And then he closed what little distance there was between their lips. It was a quiet moment in the hallway, rain falling gently as Doyoung exchanged kisses with his landlord’s son, of all people. His landlord’s very nice, very  _ attractive _ son.

He wanted to think that the situation was odd, that there was some sort of red flag he wasn’t reading here. But there was nothing. Just Jaehyun and his smile and his dimples, laughing softly when Doyoung finally unlocked the door and Sunny peaked her head out, meowing at her caretakers as if she’d been awaiting their return.

So yes, let it be known that Doyoung made the first move. But Jaehyun is the one who finished the job, initiating their very first kiss, and then some more.

  
  
  


Today, Doyoung finds himself hanging around the nice part of the city, woefully caught in the lunch rush crowd. He does not come here often, it’s a ways off from campus town, but the semester had concluded itself with a research presentation for their corporate sponsors, hence the stuffy blazer he’s currently wearing. It looks like it’s about to rain and Doyoung is thinking about how he would rather not get one of the few nice pieces of clothing he owns wet when someone calls out his name.

“Hyung! Doyoung hyung!”

Doyoung whips his head back, positive that he does not know anyone who frequents this particular area. Oh, but it turns out he does— it’s Jaehyun, looking much too good in a nicely pressed suit.

“Hey,” Jaehyun says, hair tousling effortlessly in the wind as he jogs his way over. “Funny seeing you here.”

“Yes, very funny,” Doyoung says, uncomfortably adjusting the strap of his backpack. “You work around here?”

“I do,” Jaehyun replies, upbeat in a way that seems very strange to Doyoung. “I work right there.”

He points at a nearby office building, a gargantuan skyscraper towering above them. It’s then that Doyoung realizes he’s never seen Jaehyun outside the context of his apartment. It’s always Jung Jaehyun, Mrs. Jung’s son, wearing his blue raincoat and raiding Doyoung’s fridge, coming by to “check on things” when really, he just wanted to pet a cat. This person, though, standing across from Doyoung on the downtown sidewalk, is someone else entirely.

This is Jaehyun, who has a cushy office job and well-to-do parents guiding him along the way. Jaehyun, who drives a nice car and eats expensive food. Jaehyun, who wears dimples on his face and looks unbelievably good in business casual. Out here, he looks like someone different. Someone who Doyoung would never think to speak to in a thousand years. If he saw this man on the street, he wouldn’t give a second thought about it.

But then Jaehyun smiles, guiding warmth from his eyes, and Doyoung realizes that it’s the same person after all.

“My lunch hour is almost over, but do you have time later tonight? For drinks?”

“Um, what?” Doyoung splutters at the unexpected question.

“It’s fine if you’re busy,” Jaehyun continues. “I just thought, you know, since it’s Friday and you don’t have lab…”

Doyoung nearly laughs. Jaehyun is cute. He’s so cute, and also unbelievably attractive, which makes it even more unbelievable that he’s inviting Doyoung out.

“I’m not busy,” Doyoung replies. “I can come out for drinks.”

“Great,” Jaehyun grins. “I’ll text you the time and place?”

“You don’t even have my phone number,” Doyoung points out.

“Correct, but my mother, your landlord, certainly does,” Jaehyun says, a certain look in his eyes. “I’ll just ask her for it.”

That makes Doyoung roll his eyes.

“Sure,” he huffs, tapping an imaginary watch on his wrist just for show. “Your lunch hour is almost over. Don’t let me keep you waiting.”

Jaehyun leaves with a pout, half sprinting back to his office before turning around one last time and happily waving goodbye. Doyoung halfheartedly waves back and thinks long and hard about what just happened.

Jung Jaehyun is such a pretty boy. Doyoung looks to the sky, grey with rain clouds, and scoffs at the absurdity of it all.

Pretty boys are bad news. Doyoung knows, because he’s met a pretty boy or two.

Pretty boys are smug, eyes playful when you ask them a question because they’re already drowning in the luxury of judgement. And maybe it’s not their fault. Maybe society made them that way, because there’s boys and girls lining up in droves just for a first date. And maybe, Doyoung thinks, if he looked like that, he’d be an asshole too.

Jaehyun is a pretty boy through and through, down to his dimpled smile and honey brown comma-styled hair. He’s the type that girls like to swoon over and grandmothers love to fawn. The golden boy whom everyone adores. Boys like that can get away with anything, smiling in all the right ways for free drinks at the bar.

Pretty boys are bad news. Doyoung knows, because he’s met a pretty boy or two.

But he’s never met someone like Jaehyun before.

  
  
  


Doyoung wakes up for the second time that morning, the phone ringing loud in his ears. He fumbles for a moment, reacting at the speed of a sloth. The glass of water on the nightstand nearly tips over as he grapples with blind fingers. Finally, he answers the call.

“Yes?” he asks. “Are you coming back? How is your mother?”

“I’m already back,” Jaehyun says. “My mother is great. Can you come outside?”

“What?” Doyoung mutters, half awake.

“Just come outside.”

Doyoung slowly climbs out of his bed, hissing when his feet hit the cold floor. “Why? Where are you?”

“I’m outside your door,” Jaehyun laughs. “Are you coming?”

“Yes, yes,” Doyoung says, gripping his phone as he wades through the darkness of his apartment. The blinds are fully drawn. He searches for his slippers, giving up after five seconds. They must be somewhere under the bed.

Sunny is still snoozing, snoring lightly on the pillow as he passes her sleeping form. He pads to the door, wrenching it open and nearly gasping when light floods into his hallway.

“Look,” Jaehyun says, standing right outside with his phone to his ear. He’s still wearing his blue raincoat. “Come and look.”

Doyoung steps outside and looks.

It’s the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> hey lol I’m back and worse than ever!! I know I’ve got an au thats dreadfully still a wip but I sort of lost some steam lately and work has been super busy. in other news, I moved back to the city and adopted a new cat!! as u can probably tell, my stories are merely a reflection of myself, so sorry if u think any of it is boring my life is just not that exciting. as always, thank you for reading until the end 💚


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